In-depth News Features | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

A team from NHK-World takes an exclusive look inside the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which suffered a triple meltdown in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. The disaster forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, and the decommissioning process is expected to carry on for decades.

The Akiruno area of western Tokyo is home to hillsides draped with hydrangea blooms in season. During early summer, the area attracts thousands of tourists who flock to see the flowers under a canopy of cedar and cypress boughs.

Just south of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant lies the town of Tomioka, where residents were ordered to evacuate following the triple meltdown in 2011. Those orders have now mostly been lifted, but as people return, they've been saddened to find the town’s colorful azalea bushes were removed during decontamination work.

One young man has made it his mission to revive the symbolic blossoms in Tomioka and bring back the joy of spring.

As Japan's population shrinks, rural areas are facing a problem ― too many empty houses. An American fan of Japanese architecture is stepping in to preserve old homes, even if it means shipping them piece-by-piece across the country.

South Koreans reacted with anger and defiance when their President abruptly declared martial law earlier this month. The ensuing turmoil was captured in an iconic image that shows an opposition party spokesperson grabbing the rifle of a soldier amid chaotic protests outside the parliament building in Seoul.

Weeks later, Yoon Suk-yeol is suspended from duty following a successful move by the opposition to impeach him, but the reasons for his declaration remain unclear. Former NHK Seoul bureau chief Aoki Yoshiyuki considers some possibilities.

Landscape photographer Imai Go has a soft spot for sparrows. It's an interest that began four years ago when he captured some images of one of the tiny, delicate birds nibbling on cherry blossom buds.

Harris or Trump? The world's largest economy is heading to the polls on November 5th to choose its next leader. The outcome could have wide-ranging economic effects. An expert breaks down what to expect ― from the possibility of rising inflation to a deepening global divide. NHK World's Yanaka Marie interviewed Neil Shearing, Group Chief Economist at Capital Economics.

Myanmar's junta is pushing back with a new tactic after sustaining heavy losses in the western state of Rakhine. Military forces have found themselves cornered by the Arakan Army, an ethnic Rakhine armed group ― and in an effort to retaliate, the junta is allegedly recruiting Muslim Rohingya, from the stateless minority group. The tactic is regarded as a ploy designed to incite conflict between the Rohingya and the majority Rakhine population.

People across the Noto Peninsula were slowly recovering from January's magnitude-7.5 earthquake when a second disaster struck―in September, record rain caused extensive flooding across the region.

Thousands are still living in evacuation facilities and temporary housing, unsure when they can go home. For many, the ordeal has been made a little easier with the support of Syrian man Salim Mazen, who has been driven to help by his own experience of upheaval.

The global popularity of Japanese food seemingly knows no bounds. Tourists are flocking to the country in record numbers to savor the cuisine ― but back home, finding the real deal isn't always easy. A legendary sushi master in the United States wants to change that by imparting his knowledge and skills to other top chefs, all while battling cancer.